New Year's reveler's in S.F. can't wait for 2011

Early in the day kids were ready to ring in the new year with enthusiasm, energy and - most important - balloons at Chabot Space and Science Center. But by the time they were in bed, their parents had a more dour assessment of 2010.

The biting cold and threat of rain and oppressive crowds along San Francisco's Embarcadero on Friday night provided, by all accounts, a fitting end to 2010, the year of grinning and bearing it.

"This year was all about pink slips and paying bills," said Perry Lee, 29, a resident of North Oakland. "Obama dropped balls left and right; the Republicans were whacked. Everybody kept their eye on the dollar."

Lee said that this year, he picked up a second job just to help make ends meet and keep his kids from feeling the suck of the anemic economy.

Thousands of revelers - hardly any of them under 16 - crowded the streets of downtown San Francisco on Friday night to drink, eat, watch fireworks and celebrate the end to the year when things were supposed to get better.

The economy was supposed to improve. It didn't.

Mike Singletary was supposed to bring the 49ers a division championship. He didn't.

California's budget was supposed to be balanced. It isn't.

At least, many said, the Giants managed to win the World Series.

"Thank God for that," Lee said.

Dan Campbell, a 47-year-old real estate agent from Alameda, tried to be Zen about the year he had.

"Oh, man, 2010 was a disaster," he said. "It was a bad year. But, it was a year; I got a little fitter, dated a few women and stayed optimistic."

Josh Ichord of Modesto and Melissa Davis of Bakersfield said they didn't want to talk about 2010. Their eyes were set on 2011.

"We're going into 2011 laughing," Davis said. "It's all we can do."

E-mail Will Kane at wkane@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page A - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle